I'm a rec instructor. I want to be a tec instructor. No tec experience. I'm gonna need your help.

[bamafan]

Where are you located? What are you wanting do? Cave, wreck or just deep dives?

 

[JohnnyC]

No. The things I’d really like to say about this would get me banned in a microsecond.

This entire idea is absolutely horrendously terrible. This is coming from a technical diver, cave diver, and CCR diver.

 

[PfcAJ]

you’ve gotta be kidding me.

Obvious troll is obvious.

 

[almostDIR]

the OP could very easily advance to technical diving by all means if his health and physical condition is good enough to handle the additional stress of deco diving and the mental stress associated with the overhead diving in general (whether being "soft" (deco) or "hard" (physical ceiling) overhead in question)

that said, I am unsure if it would be reasonable to expect him to advance to an advanced tech instructor level in a time which would enable him to teach the sport some years before deep deco diving becomes just too stressful because of age etc.
I am not an expert on this but I believe a reasonable time to become a experienced tech diver AND then a good hypoxic trimix instructor with some additional specialities could easily take 10 - 15 years.
For the "basic entry deco courses" it would be much easier I believe, maybe just couple of years of work and then it would be possible to teach the Adv nitrox /deco procedures style of stuff I believe?

 

[kensuf]

There was a guy locally that hated cave diving but wanted to become a cave diver simply so he could teach cavern. He couldn't stand the idea of finishing full cave as a prerequisite to becoming a cavern instructor ("why do I need to be a cave diver?" type of questions).

It didn't work out the way he expected.

 

[tbone1004]

No. The things I’d really like to say about this would get me banned in a microsecond.

This entire idea is absolutely horrendously terrible. This is coming from a technical diver, cave diver, and CCR diver.

ditto.... I'm gonna bite my tongue on this one. It would end poorly

 

[Dogbowl]

You guys have all been so patient and polite with the OP. Good for you and I need to learn to bite my tongue so I don’t get modded or banned. Thanks for the life lesson!

I was thinking troll too.

 

[ofg-1]

I can understand the OP wanting to be a tech instructor. Travel all over the world. The exotic destinations, staying in 4 star resorts. The millions and millions of loose change that he will earn. The large tips from his well funded students. The new cars, supermodel girlfriends, luxurious homes, health and retirement benefits. Dive instruction is not just a well paying career, its an entire lifestyle.

 

[Bobby]

There was a guy locally that hated cave diving but wanted to become a cave diver simply so he could teach cavern. He couldn't stand the idea of finishing full cave as a prerequisite to becoming a cavern instructor ("why do I need to be a cave diver?" type of questions).

It didn't work out the way he expected.

Ken,
You've come a long way since then. LOL

 

[northernone]

1. Feel dumb because I used "search" thinking this would have been covered. Didn't find much. If I missed some good threads, please point me to them.

This is probably the most common result of rushing through tec training quickly meeting minimum standards:
Doc Deep dies during dive.

2. Padi OWSI for ten years. Bored. I need a new challenge. I want to go from tec zero to tec hero in the shortest time. Meaning one course after another as much as possible so I don't have to take unnecessary time off and I keep travel cost low. I want to avoid the take one course, come back next month for next course schedule. I don't have tech experience beyond chatting with a few tec divers on boats.

I settled into somewhere warm/inexpensive when I wanted to dive extensively. It's effecient, I respect that. There's nothing gained by multiple flights and short trips.

Where the risk is I see is rushing training where one course worth of knowledge gets quickly forgotten as the next bulk of information is presented without time (actual time and experience) is taken to ingrain the previous info.

There are puppy mill style tec schools where subpar instructors teach to barely met standards and produce the tec divers who keep making the news (as fatalities) and giving tec diving a bad reputation as a dangerous hobby.

Such a place you can go and buy certifications... I won't recommend any, but there are dozens easily found if you google what you're asking for.

3. Pros and cons of various agencies. Which is in the most demand for employment?

I know no agency which would have employment demand for a shake and bake tec instructor. GUE type agencies seem to be a growing sector with premium prices. Maybe contact them?

4. List of courses from start to finish. PADI is Enriched Air, Enriched Air Instructor, Deep Instructor, MSDT, Tec 40, Tec 45, Tec 50, Tec Deep Instructor, then TriMix, Sidemount, Gas Blender, and CCR... Do I have that right?

Gas blender is a sidetrack. CCR is also a sidetrack.

5. Gear upgrades? More regs? BP/W? What else? Any specific recommendations?

If you are going to be a CCR instructor you'll likely need a rebreather. Also complete tec gear. There's likely nothing you own now
that will be suitable for a tec trimix CCR instructor... Perhaps your fins?

6. Suggested locations or specific dive centers? I can go worldwide.

I recommend the most challenging conditions you expect to ever dive in to learn... Learning how to handle more difficult situations will better prepare you how to teach students who may encounter those challenging environments after training.

7. How long will this take? How much will it cost?

Rough numbers a 2-5 years and 50,000 to 100,000.

8. I'm the type that likes to get the texts months ahead of a class and read the hell out of them before I show up. What could I start reading now that will help me excel at this?

Deco for divers, the entire accident forum, mastering rebreathers, into to tec, anything from Simon Mitchell.

The course material from several agencies as well.

9. What else can I do to be an excellent student and an excellent instructor?

My favorite students are those who
are curious and enjoy their current experiences. My favorite instructors are those with vast and diverse history of dive experience.

I haven't met an excellent instructor who bought his certification while barely meeting minimum standards.

10. What questions have I not thought of yet.
THANK YOU.

With 40 years diving and 10 years instructing (after 20 years diving?) I'd ask myself why I have never tried tec diving before now.

Cameron